This paper by Dr John Uhr (prepared for a conference on 'Constitutional and Parliamentary Reform for South Australia') advocates ten measures for reform, which cover the three activities that are central to an effective Parliament: representation, legislation and accountability. The aim is to identify opportunities for an independent Parliament to exercise greater self-regulation and to...

Ken Coghill asks: outrageous behaviour leading to "sin-binning", accusatory statements masquerading as questions, replies that do not answer, attacks on political opponents claiming to be answers to questions: is it any wonder Question Time is questioned as an accountability mechanism? Democracy requires that Question Time be restored to its fundamental role in the scrutiny of...

Professor Graham Maddox writes that in the very moment of its invention, federalism was pitted against democracy. How can a system which in Australia is acknowledged on all sides to be a peculiar impediment to traditional Labor, and indeed to progressive Liberal, politics, be said to be conducive to democracy? Any objective audit of democracy...

Dr John Uhr argues that review at its most basic means legislative review, including reviews which take the policy initiative and set appropriate legal standards for government. It draws lessons from ACT Government arrangements and those of the Senate. The paper concludes with a warning about misapplying concepts of review.